Author
Topic: Dreams of a Tortured Soul (Read 1522 times)

This conversation takes place after the discussion in the tavern regarding the plan to redeem Dannobar's soul.

The night grows late and the tavern begins to shut down for the evening. The early spring night is mild as the days have gotten warmer. The scent of new blossoms faintly drifts upon the calming breeze. The sounds of peepers echoes through the night singing their praise of the breaking of the winter chill.

Zurn looks up to the twinkling stars in the great inky beyond. He closes his eyes and breathes deep and thanks Ehlonna for the pleasure of the scented air. "Aye, this vision of Dannobar's fall inta tha' darkness has me fumbled." he says to himself. "Dannobar surely would repent if'n he could. And Ehlonna...oh, my sweet Ehlonna is most troubled by his capture. Dannobar be a poor tortured soul tha' would take back all o' tha' nasty things he done." Zurn thinks. "Ehlonna methinks be callin' upon me to help a brother in need. I wanna help the man but it seems ta be a folly at this point. Still, it be tha' good an' proper thing ta be doin'...it feels right ta me. Valen spoke freely of his vision. Me, I'm not open as that. I mus' talk to Valen aboot the message Ehlonna send ta him."

Zurn walks into the shadow of the walls of the keep and waits for Valen to exit.

I'm not sure when Valen is actually going to exit since he may be caught in a conversation with Belwar in "Cetainty of Death, Small Chance of Success...". If it does take a while then he'll go see Lady Coryn and talk to Valen later. So, what's the timing on this? Johan...Dray?

Zurn nodded his head. He suddenly realized how exhausted he was! The night was packed with information that he needed to meditate on.

"Well, if'n ye not mind, I be needin' ta focus on this fer a bit o' time. I'm gonna go to tha temple and pray to our lady. Thank ye Lady Corryn, fer all o' yer help this night. Ye have a way aboot ye. Cap'n Coris, it's be an honor fer me to do what I can to help yer Keep and Gorna from darkness tha' will surely spread to you an yer folks."

Zurn spun to the door and said, "Vallen, we be on a mission fer our forest maiden. I'll be in tha temple if ye find tha ye be wantin' to seek her guidance. But I unnerstand ye may have yer own way o' doin' tha. Belwar, may Moradin himself sharpen yer axe!"

"Worry not, Brother." Lady Corryn responded smoothly. "I have the blessed spores and I will get them to you. You now need to talk with your comrades and entreat them in this holy duty. Visit me in the temple and I will entrust you with Her Lady's Spores before you leave."

Zurn looked wide eyed and eagerly at Lady Corryn and asked, "Ye be keepin' the lichen with ye milady? Or do ye be know where it be growin'? If we have ta fetch it then we'll have to reckon that into our travelin' plans."

Vallen gently handed the lady his water. He felt incredibly stupid and humbled by by two people of such profound faith. His teachings in the Living Tower included nothing of what Brother Zurn had spoke.

(He also laughed at people who prompted him to post within the thread, thinking that tactic one of profound ignorance of reality).

Lady Corryn straightened noticeably as Zurn spoke; her eyebrows lifted appraisingly and a smile stretched across her face revealing perfect teeth that glowed in the faint light of the room. "Such uncommon knowledge, Brother Zurn." She noted admiringly.

"Indeed the Lichen is one of Ehlonna's blessed gifts, and indeed it shall grow due to Ehlonna's grace bestowed upon it by Our Lady herself. Bravo Brother, bravo!" She took Zurn's hand as she spoke and, clasping it between her two slender ones, she kissed the back of it with soft lips.

"It's good to see that Our Lady has sent such worthy allies to us in this hour." She continued. "One day this keep will be a very temple unto Her Grace, and the next step to accomplishing that goal is to sanctify the chasm to the west and drive the darkspawn out. The destruction of Vorntok's followers will follow, and with their demise, Blessed Ehlonna will rest at ease once again." As she continued to speak Lady Corryn became more forceful in her words and posture, and she somehow seemed to bristle with faith and holy power.

Then she smiled dreamily and swooned, falling back to sit upon Coris's large wooden desk. She brought her elegant hand to her head and gasped slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry." She apologized. "I've gotten a little dizzy for a moment. Brother Vallen, may I take a sip of your water please?"

"Easy, beloved Sister." Coris said tenderly as he came around the desk and aided Lady Corryn. "Have a seat and rest; you've been touched again."

Zurn clears his throat and says, "Beggin' yer pardon m'lady but ain't Ehlonna's Lichen one of the blessed gifts of Ehlonna's herself?"

He looks at Vallen and explains, "Ehlonna's Lichen, along with Ehlonna's Moss, Algae, and Acorn is a gift tha' be given to a favored servant o' Ehlonna. Each one has differing purposes though. They not be plants ye find in tha' wild but they be given usually long before needed. Tha' giftin' is a rarity make no mistake. Fer us to be given tha' charge of using the lichen be an honor that we as children of Ehlonna may see only once in a lifetime Vallen...even by elf standards."

Zurn looks back to lady Ehlonna and says, "I assume tha' lichen will grow due in part, er mostly, 'cause it was given by our Lady fer such a purpose. It senses the evil and grows so to remove it, yes?"

"Indeed." Lady Corryn replied with a glowing smile. "It was a gift to me, given some time ago by Our Lady through our Brothers and Sisters of the subterranean city of Lichen's Core, far to the east and north. It was the first gift of Our Lady to them, and by it they survived and flourished. It is said that this special lichen will clean the most foul places that there be and turn the very pits of the foullings into beautiful underground groves consecrated to Our Lady."

Coris gazed fondly at Lady Corryn as she spoke; he seemed to have a bit of a far-away look upon him. "If you were to plant this lichen in the caves where beloved Dannobar was slain, then those caves would become holy unto Lady Elhonna, and thus consecrated, Dannobar would be at rest, and the entire cave complex would, aside from some powerful counter magics, be uninhabitable by the black gargun and their masters."

Coris picked up from where Lady Corryn left off, saying, "That would tender us the double bounty of salvaging Dannobar as well as driving the threat from our doorstep." It was clear that he was enthused by this idea. "What say, gentlemen?" He asked. "Will you do this thing for Our Lady of the Forest?"